William Jarvis brought merino sheep to America. While serving
as United States consul to Portugal, he acquired large numbers of merinos
that were highly valued for the quality of their wool, and shipped them
to America. He moved to Weathersfield, Vermont in 1812, purchasing 2,000
acres of land on the Connecticut River.

This farm was famous not only for
its sheep, but also for its pigs, horses, and dogs. Jarvis believed
in scientific agriculture. He also felt the federal government should
impose tariffs on imported goods such as raw wool and textiles, providing
economic protection for American producers. When these protections failed
in the late 1830s and the bottom fell out of the wool market, even a wealthy
sheep farmer like Jarvis suffered.

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